When you think of protesting, you probably imagine a bunch of people, marching and shouting, possibly as a mob, possibly as peaceful people.  But the crux of it always the mass of people collectively voicing displeasure.  Well, the Economist thinks that age is over, and we’ve officially entered into the internet protest age when it comes to ecological abuse.

Instead of needing a horde of people in one place to even be noticed, lone dissenters now can make a huge splash, and these people can link up online to create a global resistance.

Jon Corbett, of the Centre for Social, Spatial and Economic Justice, an affiliate of the University of British Columbia, was first involved in Indonesia’s anti-logging movement in the 1990s, in the pre-internet age. Today, he says, things are far easier: local campaigns against big commercial and political interests at least have a chance, especially if they win global attention.

And, of course, a mainstay of this social action is blogging. Around the world, bloggers that otherwise would not have access to a free press, or even a soapbox on which to stand, can reach a large audience to share the horrors of eco-abuse.

Blogs play a crucial role in attracting people to marches and sharing information. In Iran, bloggers mounted a campaign to publicise the threat to wetlands from roads and dams. Bulgaria’s bloggers campaigned on behalf of the Strandzha Park, the country’s largest protected area, targeted by commercial developers; they used a panoply of photo, video, and petition sites. Bloggers in Poland placed special “green ribbons” on their sites to show their solidarity with a campaign to save the beautiful Rospuda valley from new roads.

The advent of easily creating and sharing media (think iMovie plus youtube) means that a cause no longer needs to gain traction at home before it draws attention abroad.  Of course, the Economist knows that railing against eco-abusing states does not come without risk.

Earlier this year an Egyptian blogger, Tamer Mabrouk, posted material indicating that a local firm had been dumping chemicals into Manzallah Lake and the Suez Canal. The photos were noticed by a government newspaper which denounced the firm—and Mr Mabrouk was duly arrested for defamation.

But the idea that all around the world, blogging has become a way to voice dissent and enact change is quite empowering.  So takepart and create your own blog, and start changing the world!